Home contents insurance with mobile phone cover

Smartphones are increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives, and with some worth upwards of £700, it makes sense to protect your phone from loss, theft, or damage

You might have considered getting mobile phone insurance through a specialist gadget insurance policy, but if you have home insurance you might be covered already, or could add the protection you need to your home policy for a small charge.

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Are mobile phones covered by home insurance?

If you already have or are considering taking out a home contents insurance policy, your phone may already be covered as part of this.

However, there are some limitations to standard contents insurance that mean you might want to upgrade your policy to adequately cover your mobile phone or other gadgets.

Standard contents policies will cover your mobile phone the same as any other item in the home. You will be covered for loss or theft of your mobile phone in the home (for example if it is stolen during a break-in) as well as if it is damaged in a fire, flood, escape of water, etc.

If you want mobile phone insurance against everyday risks, you might want to ensure your contents insurance policy includes the following features:

Accidental damage cover
If you want your phone to be covered for accidental damage in the home, you will need to ensure your home contents policy includes accidental damage cover. This will pay out for accidents to your phone, anything from dropping it to putting it in the washing machine.

If your contents insurance policy does not include accidental damage cover, you’ll only be able to claim for damage caused as a result of damage in the home, such as a fire or flood.

Away from home/personal possessions cover
Of course, the point of a mobile phone is that it can be taken anywhere. If you want mobile phone insurance to cover your phone wherever it goes, you will need to add personal possessions cover to your home insurance policy.

If you have home contents insurance you’ll be covered if your phone is damaged in a fire in the home or taken by a burglar. But unless you’re especially vigilant of your phone while you’re out and about, it’s more likely to meet its end while it’s outside of your home — whether it gets lost, stolen, or dropped.

Away from home cover is also known as all risks insurance. It covers items outside of the home, including mobile phones and gadgets, as well as other items that regularly leave the home such as jewellery, wallets etc.

Important considerations for including your phone on your home insurance

Although insuring your mobile phone on your contents insurance is a great option for many, there are some limitations and alternatives you may want to consider.

The first thing to understand is what happens if you make a claim. To make any claim on your home contents insurance, you’ll have to pay the excess you agreed with your insurer. And because your mobile phone is just another item covered by your contents insurance policy, you will have to pay the full excess — even if the only item you’re claiming for is your mobile phone.

However, if your mobile is worth several hundreds of pounds, as many smartphones are, you may be willing to take this risk. You may also choose a low excess if your insurer offers this option, so you won’t end up paying more in excess than the phone is worth.

You should also be aware that claiming for your mobile phone on your contents insurance could result in your contents insurance premium increasing when it comes to renewal time.

If you’re planning to insure an expensive smartphone or other gadget under your home insurance policy, you should also check whether any single article limits apply. If you want to cover your mobile phone to be insured outside of the home, you’ll need to list it as a ‘specified item’ in your home insurance application or comparison. Get started below:

Home insurance special offer

Get £20 cashback* on your home insurance when you buy through uSwitch today (terms and conditions apply)

Gadget insurance

Alternatively, you may choose to take out a specialist mobile phone insurance through a gadget insurance policy. This option may work for you if you feel you’re likely to claim for a lost or damaged phone, as claims won’t have an effect on your home insurance policy. Find out more about gadget insurance in our guide.

*Offer valid for home insurance quotes generated via uSwitch.com between 14 April and 3 June 2018. Cashback of £20 payable by cheque to the first named policyholder after the policy has been active for 90 days. Minimum premium of £125 per annum required. Autonet reserves the right to deduct the full amount of cashback from any refunds due on policies cancelled within 12 months of inception. This offer may be withdrawn at any time and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. This offer is valid for new customers only.
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